CASTLE ROCK — A Douglas County judge Thursday refused to open sealed documents related to the arrest of Broncos rookie cornerback Perrish Cox for an alleged sexual assault.

Judge Susanna Meissner-Cutler said the arrest affidavit contains information, including medical tests that would be subject to challenge, and witness statements that would not be admissible in court.

"The defendant's right to a fair trial would be prejudiced by releasing the affidavit," she said.

Releasing the information would "subject the alleged victim to further harassment . . . and abuse," the judge said.

Reporters from The Denver Post, The Associated Press and The New York Times filed motions in court in December, requesting that the case file be made public.

Attorney Steve Zansberg, who represented the three media outlets, had argued the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the media from those who try to deny it access.

Zansberg argued for release of redacted versions of the documents, and noted that all three news organizations know the alleged victim's name but have not published it.

But Meissner-Cutler was not swayed. She set a preliminary hearing in the case for March 10.

After the hearing, Zansberg said he was disappointed that the file remains sealed, but said he did not think Cox was receiving special treatment because of his status as a professional athlete.

Radio talk-show host and former prosecutor Craig Silverman, who represented the alleged victim in court, argued to keep the file closed.

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"My job is to protect the victim's rights, and that includes her right to privacy," he said.

Cox, 23, was arrested late Dec. 9 after Lone Tree police received a sexual-assault complaint Oct. 28. The complaint alleges that the assault occurred around Sept. 6.

Cox, whose alias in court documents is listed as "Peacock," faces two felony charges that accuse him of sexually assaulting a helpless victim incapable of appraising her own condition. If convicted, he faces between two years to life in prison.

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